A Rough Case
by hmcfanaddict
Summary: Cal helps Gillian deal after a rough case.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Lie to Me.**

Lightning spreads across the night sky illuminating the wet streets of DC. The split second of eerie, blue light reveals the tumultuous swaying of the trees. The power had gone out about thirty minutes ago and now her neighborhood was shrouded in darkness save for the moments when lightning revealed what was lost in the night. She realizes that she could have lit candles, but she prefers to sit in the darkness and watch the storm from her window. She doesn't need the light right now. The darkness feels right now. Safer.

She shouldn't have been surprised to see him making his way down the walk. His unique gait made him look rather intimidating in the alternating light and darkness the lightning was creating. For a moment she wondered if she could get away with not answering her door. She could pull back into the darkness and pretend she'd already gone to bed. He'd know of course. Tomorrow there would be no escaping the questions in his eyes.

The knock came at the door. Rather forceful in order to be heard over the din of the storm. She didn't move from her chair, still wishing that somehow he'd accept the fact that she didn't want visitors tonight.

"Oi, Foster! Open up! I know you're still awake!" Sighing, she pulled herself up and made her way to the door. Wordlessly, she undid the locks and opened the door, stepping aside to let him.

"Thanks. It's really coming down out there. I might have drowned if I'd been out there much longer." Cal chanced a grin in Gillian's direction, but clearly his attempt at being playful would not be reciprocated.

"What are you doing here, Cal?" Gillian could feel her annoyance starting to grow at his interruption of her evening and she had no problems letting him see it all over her face.

"Well, the power went out in my house. You know how afraid I am of the dark. Speaking of which, it's bloody dark in here. Don't you have any candles?" Cal chanced another attempt at humor and this time Gillian couldn't fight the effect of his trademark grin.

"You're incredible, you know that? You really shouldn't have come out in the storm." Gillian turned to lead the way into the living room while Cal shrugged off his wet jacket, but he didn't miss the smirk on her face. "Thank you, love. I do enjoy being reminded of just how incredible I am. Oi!" Cal barely caught a pillow that was heading straight for his head. "Is this the hospitality that you show all your house guests?"

"Only the one's that come banging on my door in the middle of a thunderstorm." Gillian bent over a candle trying to get it to light in the darkness. Finally it took the flame and she used it to light other candles around the room until the room glowed with the faint candlelight. Cal had settled himself in a chair and Gillian could feel his eyes on her as she moved around the room. She settled on the couch and met his stare.

"I don't want to talk about the case."

Cal noted the way Gillian had crossed her arms over her chest and the slight lift of her chin. "Neither do I, love." Cal shrugged and willed himself not to smirk at the quizzical look she sent his way.

"I'm not going to cry either. If you came over because you thought I'd need a shoulder to cry on I'm sorry you wasted your time." Gillian was no longer meeting his gaze but staring into the flame of a candle sitting on the coffee table. Cal regarded her for a few moments before seemingly coming to a decision. He quickly bounded from his chair and plopped on the couch next to her, invading her space. He could feel her tense up.

"You should know by now that I'm a selfish bastard. I told you I have an irrational fear of the dark. I needed some company." He toed off his shoes and propped his feet on the table while stretching his arms along the back of the couch. Gillian sighed. She realized she wasn't going to get rid of Cal any time soon. Slowly she turned her head to study his face, trying to see just what his game was this time. Her breath caught slightly when she saw Cal staring straight back at her. They locked eyes, each studying the others. Neither quite sure what they were looking for, what they hoped to see. Gillian finally broke eye contact, and Cal was afraid she had seen something he hadn't meant to show her, but as he felt her relax against him he couldn't help but let a little sigh of relief escape. He brought an arm down to draw her in closer. A few minutes passed until Cal felt Gillian pull herself deeper into his arms.

"It's alright, darling." He whispered against her ear. "We all have those cases that get to us." She sighed against him and they sat in silence once more.

"Cal?"

"Yes, love?"

"Thanks for coming over." Cal gave her a tight squeeze and hoped she could realize that there was no place he would rather be. Together they watched the storm rage outside, but the chaos of the world seemed a little further away as they clung to each other.

**A/N: Ok, this is my first Lie to Me story! I haven't really written in a long time so please review and let me know what you think!**


End file.
